Toe Jam Puppet Band
The Toe Jam Puppet Band is a children's entertainment group from New Bedford, Massachusetts. They perform throughout New England several times per week, including every Monday at Buttonwood Park Zoo in New Bedford,[1] and played 270 times in 2007 across Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine and New York City.[2] Band members include co-founders Tom Poitras and Vinny Lovegrove,.[3] The band formed in 2001 after Poitras, previously a punk rock singer with The Gluons,[4] began writing songs for his newborn son, met Lovegrove who had been entertaining folk since 1994 with his Miracle Fish Puppet Theater. Their first CD, titled First CD, sold over 1000 copies.[3] They released a second album, Toe Jam Dance Party, in 2003, and a third, Toe Jam in Outer Space, in 2008.[2][5]
Toe Jam Puppet Band | |
---|---|
Origin | New Bedford, Massachusetts |
Genres | Children's music |
Years active | 2001 - present |
Members | Tom Poitras Vinny Lovegrove Chris Waters Brian Cass Amy Marsden Mike Almond Jeff Angeley Jeff Gobush Meghan Barnes Samuel Young |
Website | http://www.toejampuppetband.com |
They have received a grant from the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children for their Creative Arts Playgroup, and proceeds from the sale of their first CD went to the MSPCC.[6]
According to the Boston Globe, they are "blazing a path through the world of family entertainment".[7] WickedLocal said they offer "a special brand of hands-on children’s entertainment that grown-ups can actually enjoy".[8] The Providence Journal noted that "The kids' involvement steers each show, so every performance is different."[9]
References
- Souza, Ken (29 January 2008). "Toe Jam 'Pirates' Take Over Mattapoisett School". The Wanderer. Archived from the original on November 21, 2009. Retrieved 2009-08-03.
- Vittorioso, Stephen (18 July 2008). "Band strums good time, laughter". WickedLocal. Retrieved 2009-08-03.
- McCarty, Sean (10 July 2003). "This band is jammin'!". South Coast Today. Retrieved 2009-08-03.
- Arnone, Jaci (25 July 2008). "With Jam in Your Toes and Fingers Up Your…". Kidoinfo. Retrieved 2009-08-03.
- Raoof, Anisa (13 November 2008). "Toe Jam in Outer Space". Kidoinfo. Retrieved 2009-08-03.
- Seaman, Hank (7 April 2002). "A good start, a good time". South Coast Today. Retrieved 2009-08-03.
- Didomizio, Milva (23 February 2006). "Toe Jam Puppet Band". Boston Globe. Retrieved 2009-08-03.
- "Makepeace Neighborhood Fund presents Toe Jam Puppet Band". WickedLocal. 27 July 2008. Retrieved 2009-08-03.
- Resnick-Ault, Jessica (27 December 2002). "Spreading the jam". Providence Journal. Retrieved 2009-08-03.